Radiator



Patented Mar. 9, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT ori-ICE Shaw-Perkins Manufacturing Company, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application August 4,

I10 Claims.

This invention relates to radiators, and more particularly to those in which parallel sheet metal plates are mounted in heat-exchanging relation on a tube through which a heating medium flows.

It is among vthe objects of this invention to provide such a radiator in which the tube is permitted to freely expand, in which stresses due to expansion and contraction of the pipe lines connected to the radiator are transmitted directly to the radiator as a whole, and in which the edges in all the plates, which are rigidly mounted on.

and in intimate contact with the tube, solas to conduct heat away from it rapidly. At eachend.

of the unit there is a heavier end plate, to which a pipecoupling is rigidly secured. The ends of the heating tube are securely connected to these couplings, but the end plateopenings, through which the intermediate portion of the tube ex tends, are enlarged to allow for axial and transverse movement of the tube caused by expansion and contraction. The edges of the fixed plates that project outwardly beyond the floating plates tend to protect the radiator and in turn are protected by transversely curved members, preferably tubing surrounding the fixed plates.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which Fig. l is a side elevation of our radiator; Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof; Fig. 3 is an end view; Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse section taken on the line IV-IV of Fig. l; Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal section taken on the line V--V of Fig. 3; and Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal section taken on the line VI-VI of Fig. 5.

Referring to the drawing, Figs. 5 and 6 in .particular, aplurality of plates i are shown spaced apart in fixed parallel relation by transversely curved spacer bars 2 disposed between the plates adjacent their corners. These plates and spacer bars are bound together into a substantially rigid unit by means of tie rods 3 that extend through apertures in the corner portions .of the plates be- 1936, Serial No. 94,208

hind the bars. Disposed between each pair of fixed plates I is a group of spaced parallel plates 4, referred to herein as floating because. they are not held in fixed position by the spacer bars, although their corner portions are provided with apertures through which thev tie rods extend. These floating plates are slightly shorter and narrower than the fixed plates, and their corners are disposed behind and shielded by the spacer bars.

'Ihe plates are provided with rows of aligned openings through which a tube 6, adapted to convey a-heating medium through theA radiator, extends back and forth in a tortuous path as shown in Fig. 1. Preferably, the tube is formed of long, horizontal sections connected at their endsby vertical bends 1, and the two opposite ends of the tube are advantageously disposed at diagonal- 1y` opposite corners of the radiator. To insure rapid and efiicient heat transfer from this tube to the .various plates, the latter are tightly mounted on the tube. A convenient Way of connecting the tube and plates is to subject the tube to suflicient hydraulic pressure to expand it into tight engagement withl the flanged walls of the plate openings through which it passes. The anges von the plate opening give greater contact area and strengthen the whole structure.

To strengthen the entire radiator end plate 8 is disposed at each'end of the unit as shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6, preferably against the outer face of one of the xed plates I, where it forms a rigid anchor for the tie rods. The

i end plates are thicker, and therefore more rigid, than the other plates, and may be yfurther strengthened by providing them with laterally projecting side flanges 9 throughout their central portion. Portions of the end plates are entirely at and are provided with apertures .for

receiving the ends of the tie rods. -nected to eachendI plate around the end of tube .6 projecting therethrough, as by screws Il, is a -pipe coupling l2 the inner end of which is tightly connected to the tube end and the outer. end of `which is threaded for connection to the heating system pipe line, not shown. Consequently, any strains due to expansion or contraction of the latter are transmitted through the fitting directly to the heavy end plate and into the radiator as a whole, particularly tie rods 3, rather than to the tube alone.

Openings i3, in the end plates and the adjoining fixed plates l, through which extends the portion of the tube intermediate `its anchored ends, are larger than the tube. lSee Fig. 5. As a. result, the tube oats in these openings and moves structure, an

Rigidly con'- back and forth in them as its' horizontal sections expand and contract, and moves sideways in them cover plate is preferably reinforced by a backing plate i9 of the same size as the oating plates, the backing plate and adjacent end plates forming 'a support for the side sheets.

The projecting edges of fixed plates l and `cover plate I6 tend to protect the iioating plates by preventing objects from coming in contact with them, and those projecting edges are in turn protected by longitudinally split tubing 2i telescoped thereover to enclose them. This tubing likewise prevents the rather sharp edges of the plates from injuring anyone or anything coming in contact with the radiator, and it also improves the appearance of the radiator.

A radiator constructed in accordance with this invention is pleasing in appearance and protected from injury by objects that may strike it. It is highly efficient in heating qualities, since it permits free circulation of air over all radiating and heat-conductive surfaces. `It has comparatively great surface exposure per unit of weight and over-all dimensions. Itsstructure allows for expansion and contraction without injury to itself because a large number of the conductor plates oat with the heating tube the intermediate portion of which floats in the iixed end plates. Strains due to expansion and contraction ofthe heating system pipe line that might otherwise be transmitted directly to the heating tube and Y injure it, are transmitted directly to the radiator as a whole because the pipe couplings are rigidly connected to the end plates of the radiator.

According to the provisions of the patent statutes, we have explained the principle and con'- struction yof. our invention, and have illustrated and described what we now consider to represent 4its best embodiment. However, we desire to have it understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated anddescribed.

1. A radiator comprising a plurality of spaced iixed plates, bars disposed between the plates and engaging them' adjacent theircorners for maintaining them in spaced relation, tie rods extending through the plates for binding the plates and bars into a unit, a plurality of spaced floating plates disposed between each pair of saidv fixed plates, all of the plates being provided with openings therethrough, and a, tube for conveying a heating medium extending through said openings in engagement with the plates.

2. A radiator comprising a plurality of their corners for maintaining themin spaced relation, tie rods extending through the plates for binding the plates and bars into a unit, a plurality of spaced substantially parallel oating plates disposed between each `pair of said fixed i plates, all of the plates being provided with openings, a tube extending through said openings in spaced, substantially parallelV fixed plates, bars disposed between the plates and engagingthem adjacentengagement with the plates, said fixed plates projecting outwardly beyond said oatlng platesand .transversely curved members connected to the edges of said xed plates.

3.. A radiator comprising a plurality of spaced parallel fixed plates, bars disposed between the plates and engaging them adjacent their corners for maintaining them in spaced relation, tie rods extending through the plates for binding the plates and bars into a unit, a plurality of spaced parallel floating plates disposed between each pair of said fixed plates, all of the plates being 'provided with openings, a tube extending through said openings in engagement with the plates, said xed plates projecting outwardly beyond said iioating plates, and a, longitudinally split tube surrounding each of said xed plates and enclosing the edges thereof.

4. A radiator comprising a plurality of spaced fixed plates, a plurality of spaced floating plates disposed between each pair of xed plates, all of the plates being provided with openings, a tube extending through said openings in engagement with the plates, said hxed plates projecting outwardly beyond said floating plates, bars extending transversely of said floating plates and engaging said fixed plates adjacent their corners lfor maintaining them in spaced relation, and tie rods extending through all of the plates for binding the plates and bars into a unit.

5. A radiator comprising a plurality of spaced xed plates, bars disposed between the plates ment with the plates, and a pipe coupling rigidly secured to said end plate and the end of said tube associated therewith.

6. A radiator comprising a pair of spaced end -plates, a plurality of spaced substantially parallel plates disposed between the end plates, means for binding all of the plates into a unit, all of the plates being provided with openings therethrough, a heating tube extending through said openings in engagement with the plates and with its ends iirmly attached to the two end plates, and a pipe coupling rigidly secured to each oi' said end plates and the end of the tube associated therewith.

7. A radiator comprising a pair of spaced end plates, a plurality of spaced parallel plates disposed between the end plates, each end plate having laterally projecting side flanges, means for spacing the plates apart, tie rods extending through all of the plates for binding them into a unit all of the plates being provided with openings therethrough, a tube extending through said openings in engagement with the plates and with its ends associated with the two end plates, and a pipe coupling rigidly secured to each of said end plates and the end of the tube associated f l therewith. j

8. A radiator comprising a pair of spaced end plates, a plurality of spaced plates disposed between the end plates, tie rods extending through all of the plates for binding them into a unit. all of the plates being provided withopenings therethrough, a heating tube extending through said openings fin engagement with the plates, a

pipe coupling rigidly secured to one of said end plates and the end of said tube associatedv therewith, a cover plate disposed at the outer end of saidcoupling, "and a side sheet between said cover plate and said end plate, said tie rods extending outwardly through the' cover plate for holding it in position.

9. A radiator comprising a plurality` of spaced iixed plates, bars disposed between the plates and engaging them adjacent their corners for maintaining -them in spaced relation, an end plate disposed at each end of the unit thus formed, tie rods extending through al1-of the plates for binding the plates and bars into -a substantially rigid unit, a plurality of spaced iloating4 plates disposed between each pair 'of said iixed plates,- allof the plates being provided with rows of ilanged openings therethrough,- andaheating tube extending through -said openings in engagement intermediate portion passing through openings in the end plates, said openings being larger than said tube to allow for expansion o! the tube therein.

l0. A radiator comprising a pair of spaced end plates, a plurality of spaced substantially parallel plates disposed between the end plates, means for` binding all of the plates into a unit, all oi' the plates being provided with rows of openings therethrough, a heating tube extending through said lopenings with its 'ends rigidly secured to said end plates, said tube extending back and forth Parkson wiNsBoRoUGH. ARCHIBALD n. mms. Jn. 

